The present invention relates to a mounting bracket supporting a thermocouple and supporting a pilot and pilot shield adjacent a burner and, more particularly, to a pilot and thermocouple mounting bracket including a hinged pilot shield via a locking tab and structure supporting the pilot in a substantially horizontal orientation relative to the burner.
In a poultry house, it is important to provide growing birds with the freedom to choose the most comfortable warmth at any one moment. Optimal micro-climates can be created and controlled using radiant heating systems such as a radiant heat brooder. A poultry house environment, however, is a high-dust environment that can adversely affect the operation and functionality of the radiant heating systems. In particular, dust, fogging and other contaminants in the operational environment can build up and contaminate the pilot orifice when the pilot is not in operation, which is most of the time.
FIG. 5A illustrates an example of a conventional burner assembly for a radiant heat brooder. The conventional assembly 100 includes a circular burner disk 102 and a centrally disposed burner 104. A pilot and pilot shield assembly 106 is supported in a vertical orientation adjacent the burner 104 along with a thermocouple. The fuel source 108 for the pilot 106 is coupled with the pilot 106 through the burner disk 102. The assembly 100 also includes a fuel source 110 for the burner 104.
With this configuration, because of the vertical orientation of the pilot and pilot shield assembly 106, dust has a tendency to build-up in and around the pilot and pilot shield assembly 106. Moreover, the vertically orientated pilot is difficult to light as well as clean. During operation, it is necessary to curl the flame as shown so that the pilot will light properly and the thermocouple will stay hot. This curling is achieved by configuring the pilot shield, which thus increases manufacturing costs and time. Still further, because the pilot shield itself is not positively secured to the assembly, it is susceptible to being misplaced.